Surgical gloves traditionally are manufactured by providing hand-shaped molds onto which a film-forming, such as latex or other similar synthetic material, is deposited by dipping or the like. A mold-releasing powder is usually dusted first onto the mold to facilitate removal of the molded material from the mold. It is also usual pratice to apply a lubricating substance onto the outside of the molded glove, so that when the finished glove is peeled from the mold and retroverted, the interior of the glove is thus coated with a layer of lubricating powder for ease in donning the glove. Particles of the mold-releasing powder frequently remain on or entrapped in the exterior surface of the surgical glove.
Over the years, a variety of powders, including talc, have been used to dust, or coat, the inner and outer surfaces of the gloves to aid in manufacture or to provide lubrication in donning the glove. Cornstarch, or its derivatives, is presently the preferred powder agent.
Starch peritonitis, associated with the use of powders of cornstarch or its derivatives, arises as a result of residual powder particles shedding into the surgical area from the surface of a surgeon's glove into a body cavity, such as the abdomen of a person during abdominal surgery. These particles stimulate the formation of scar tissue, create adhesions, and could obstruct the bowel.
See Steinlieb, et al., "STARCH PERITONITIS AND ITS PREVENTION", Archives of Surgery, Vol. 112, April, 1977. Noting the problem of peritonitis flowing from use of cornstarch on or in surgeon's gloves, the authors of this report suggested the use of sodium bicarbonate as an alternative for cornstarch derivatives to lubricate the gloves. However, in solution, such as created by natural skin exudate, sodium bicarbonate would yield a slightly base solution that could be irritating to the wearer's hands.
Problems from use of cornstarch dusted surgical gloves is not limited to surgery dealing with the interior of the human body. Thus, infection has been found to occur from such glove-borne particles during optical surgery, resulting that the cornea may turn opaque. Additionally, starch can enter a surgically exposed area, through a perforation in the fingertip of a surgical glove, where the lubricating powder within the glove tends to accumulate.
Wearers of surgical gloves, such as doctors and aides, usually have been admonished to vigorously wash and wipe their surgical gloves before entering the body. Tolbert & Brown, "SURFACE POWDERS ON SURGICAL GLOVES", Archives of Surgery, Vol. 115, June, 1980, report their study of procedures involving talcs and other similar starch based powders which had been used as mold-releasing agents in the manufacture of surgical gloves. They report that a shedding hazard exists during surgery, even when the gloves have been previously washed and wiped, which instigates starch peritonitis and other similar complications.
One purpose of this invention is to provide a surgical glove which avoids the problems reported upon herein. Another purpose of this invention is to disclose a new method of lavage following surgery, particularly abdominal surgery.